February 9, 2015

Virginia Man Gets 16 Years for Robbing Drug Dealers

CHARLESTON, WV—United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that Robert L. Barcliff was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison.

Barcliff pleaded guilty in January 2014 to robbery affecting interstate commerce and to brandishing a firearm. On April 22, 2012, Barcliff, along with Keith Glenn, Robert Jared Smith and William Seltzer, carried out an armed home-invasion robbery in Marmet, West Virginia. Their targets were drug dealers that the robbers believed were from Detroit, and would be in possession of oxycodone and proceeds from pill sales.

Barcliff and Smith entered the apartment brandishing firearms to carry out the robbery. They stole money before fleeing the scene. A firearm was discharged inside the apartment during the robbery.

Glenn, Smith and Seltzer have all entered guilty pleas in federal court for charges related to this investigation, and are scheduled to be sentenced in February.

Beginning in the fall of 2011, Barcliff was part of a group that conspired and agreed to commit armed home invasion robberies of drug dealers in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The objective of the conspiracy and robberies was to steal drugs, drug proceeds and firearms. The group targeted drug dealers because they believed the dealers were not likely to call the police.

In January 2014, two men were convicted by a federal jury in Charleston for their roles in the conspiracy. Darrell E. Gillespie faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years, and up to life, in federal prison, and Jamaa I. Johnson faces up to 45 years in prison when they are sentenced on May 6, 2015.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Charleston Police Department and Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman was in charge of the prosecution.